New Delhi, October 24
Even as the Delhi government launched a multi-pronged anti-cracker campaign with the support of eco-club schools, colleges, RWAs and FM channels, crackers were busted as usual that had deteriorated the air quality alarmingly a day after Diwali as the pollution levels spiked more than five times higher than the normal, leaving many at risk of respiratory problems.

The Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), which directly affects breathing, has gone up by five times from the national ambiance air quality standard, stated scientists from System of Air quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitored pollution level last evening. The DPCC has six points and CPCB eight points to monitor the pollution level.

According to the real-time ambient air quality data of the DPCC, the particulate matter PM 2.5 was at its peak at 5.30 am and recorded 724 microgram per cubic meter (mpcm) in R K Puram.

In Punjabi Bagh, the PM 2.5 was at its peak at 1 am and was recorded at 755 mpcm, while PM 10 was recorded as 1,490 mpcm highest at 3.30 am.

At Mandir Marg, PM 2.5 was at its peak at 2.30 am and recorded 984 mpcm while PM 10 was recorded as 1,200 mpcm highest at 2 am.

The peak pollution level monitored in Civil Lines was PM 2.5 at 999.85 mpcm from 11 pm to 2.30 am and the PM 10 was 1,000 mpcm from 9 pm to 3 am.

At Anand Vihar, PM 2.5 was recorded highest at 814 mpcm at 1 am while PM 10 was the highest at 1500 mpcm during midnight.

The PM 2.5 was at its highest at IGI airport at 347.41 mpcm around 11.30 pm and PM 10 was recorded the highest at 404.98 mpcm during the same time.

Particulate matters in the atmosphere less than 10 microns in size are classified as PM 10 and particles that are less than 2.5 microns in size are PM 2.5.

While particles that are larger in size are filtered out in the upper layers of the respiratory track but larger part of PM 10 particles can enter the lungs.

Last year particulate matter levels had shown an increasing trend at all the locations as compared to 2012. RSPM values ranged between 796 and 1138 g/m3as in 2013 compared to 748 and 951 g/m3g/m3 during Diwali in 2012.

Increased particulate matter levels values in general may be attributed to adverse meteorological conditions, like lower night time temperature, low mixing height and low wind speed.

Children, elderly and people with existing lung disease may not be able to breathe as deeply or vigorously as they normally would, and they may experience symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath, increase susceptibility to respiratory infections and can aggravate existing respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis, said a scientist.

New Delhi, October 24
A 50-year-old woman was killed and about 10 people were injured in a clash between two families over the issue of bursting firecrackers at Samaypur Badli in outer Delhi.

At about 10 pm on Thursday, the locals had informed the police about an ongoing fight between at least 20 people. When the police reached the spot, they managed to pacify the crowd, which by then had started pelting each other with stones.

"About 10 people from both the groups had received injuries out of whom six were grievously injured. Two Police Control Room vehicles took the injured to hospital. One woman, however, succumbed to her injuries during treatment," said a police officer.

The woman was identified as Sunita Devi. She was a housewife and lived in the same locality for several years.

The police learnt that a minor argument between the two families over the bursting of firecrackers turned into a violent confrontation.

"The two families have been neighbours for some time. About five months ago, they had fought over a trivial issue and the police had intervened to resolve the matter. But what happened on Diwali was much more serious than their previous fights," said the officer.

The officer said that at about 9.30 pm on Thursday, children from the two families were bursting crackers on a street in their colony.

"An argument took place between the children in which they exchanged blows. One of the kids then went home and told his family that he had been hit. In the meantime, the family members from the other group had also come out of their house and a major fight took place," said the officer.

According to the police, both the groups first exchanged blows and then threw bricks and stones at each other before the police arrived.

"Sunita's death might have been caused by injuries to her internal organs as she was hit hard," the officer said. The police had sent her body for a postmortem and are awaiting its report.

New Delhi, October 24
There were 211 incidents of fire that took place across the national Capital during Diwali, according to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS).

The DFS said that between October 23 and 24, there were 211 incidents of fire across Delhi. Of them, 55 were caused due to firecrackers. No one died or suffered injuries in these incidents.

This Diwali, the fire department received the highest number of calls for the past four years. The number of calls received in 2013 was 177, it was 184 in 2012, about 206 in 2011 and just 169 in 2010.

A major fire had broken out at Kashmere Gate in north Delhi at about 4.50 pm yesterday. "The fire started at a spare parts shop. Thirteen fire tenders were sent," said a DFS official.

Between 12 am and 7 am today, there were 55 incidents of fire, according to the DFS.

"A fire also broke out at a 100 square yard threading and clothing godown in Samaypur Badli (outer Delhi). A fire also broke out at a shop near the Escorts Hospital in Sarai Jullena at about 5.40 am," said a DFS official.

New Delhi, October 24
Delhi University is planning to offer short term certificate courses in eight North East Indian languages in run up to its preparation for the heritage tour to that region in December.

"There is a proposal to offer short term courses in eight different languages of the North East which will include tutorials on basic working knowledge of the languages and not the detailed scripts," DU Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh said.

"The Linguistic department is working on details as well as structure of the course and we will have a plan of action soon," he added.

As many as 900 students will be given the opportunity to travel on "Dharodhar-Gyanodaya Express" from December 20 to 30 which is all set to travel to northeast region this year to enrich students about the culture and heritage of the region.

"While the university has invited proposals from the students regarding the projects they would like to undertake during the journey, the short term certificate courses will give an opportunity to the students to learn the languages irrespective of the tour," Prof Chandrahekhar, coordinator for the Gyanodyaa Express said.

The certificate courses which will run for a duration of one month will be open to all students whether they are selected for the train journey or not.

"The languages for the proposed courses include Assamese, Nagamese, Manipuri, Arunachali and Tripuri.

There will be foundation courses in Nepali and Bengali as well which are widely spoken in Sikkim and Tripura respectively," said Dr Santacruz, Deputy Dean Students' Welfare and Coordinator for the North East students.

"However, no decision has been reached yet on whether these are one-time courses or will be offered in future as well," he added.

According to the university records, around 5,000 students from the North Eastern states are enrolled in various undergraduate and post graduate programmes. — PTI

New Delhi, October 24
A high-power delegation led by Gurmeet Singh Shunty, member and former general secretary of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), has asked Sri Akal Takhat Sahib that the Sikhs killed in 1984 riots should be declared martyrs.

In a letter written to Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Shunty said Sikhs were killed in the riots as they kept their hair unshorn. They had preferred to be killed as Sikhs.

He said that the victims of the genocide have not got justice even after 30 years of the incident. If those killed are declared martyr, it will not only motivate the family members of the victims but also inspire the future generations to keep their religious symbols intact even under extreme conditions.

Shunty said that the Sikhs not only in India but across the world want to build martyr memorials. As the victims have not been declared martyrs by the Akal Takhat, the desire remains unfulfilled.

Shunty is seeking support of all the religious, social and political organizations in this regards.

"We are observing the 30th anniversary of 1984 genocide this year," he said.

Meanwhile, the Sikh Forum demands that the guilty of 1984 riots should be punished. The forum appeals to people to join a demonstration from Mandi House on November 1.

New Delhi, October 24
A man, who was accused of gang raping a woman along with his two associates after giving her sedatives-laced drink, has been acquitted by a Delhi court which said the alleged victim has turned "hostile" and there was no evidence that she was raped at all.

Additional Sessions Judge Nivedita Anil Sharma freed Manpreet, resident of Ranhola in west Delhi, after the woman deposed that she has no grievance against him and she had established physical relations with co-accused Vipin Lakra,who was earlier acquitted in the case, with her own consent.

Co-accused Lakra and Satpal were acquitted by the court in May this year.

The court said that the woman has not deposed an iota of evidence of her being intoxicated and raped at all.

"She has not even mentioned the word 'rape' in her evidence nor has deposed anything incriminating against the accused Manpreet," the court said, adding that the woman has turned hostile.

"It is clear that the claim of the prosecution is neither reliable nor believable and is not trustworthy and prosecution has failed to establish the offence of intoxication and gang rape against accused. The evidence of the prosecutrix makes it highly improbable that such an incident ever took place," the court said, while acquitting Manpreet.

According to the police, on December 31, 2013, Manpreet along with Lakra and Satpal had given a sedatives-laced cold drink to the woman and thereafter, the trio raped her in a plot in Ranhola Extension here. A supplementary charge sheet was filed against Manpreet.

The woman, however, deposed before the court that none of the accused persons had gangraped her after intoxicating her.

She had developed friendship with Lakra on facebook and she had physical relations with him several times with her free consent, she told the court adding that he has never forced her in any manner to have physical relations.—PTI